U.S. health officials confirm Missouri swine flu case

Friday, May 1, 2009 | 4:32 p.m. CDT

BY
The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced the first confirmed case of swine flu in Missouri.

The CDC said a Kansas City-area woman in her 30s had contracted the virus. A second probable case of swine flu in Missouri, that of a 19-year-old man from the Kansas City area, was announced by state health officials on Thursday. But the CDC has not confirmed that case.

The Platte County woman, who recently returned from Mexico, has received anti-viral medicine, was not hospitalized and was recovering well, the state Department of Health and Senior Services said in a written statement.

Health officials have said there was no known connection between the Platte County woman and the 19-year-old man. Nebraska health officials said the man was hospitalized in the Omaha area with a probable swine flu case after traveling to that state for treatment of another health condition.

Gov. Jay Nixon has said Missouri's local health agencies and state officials are following the state plan for dealing with a flu outbreak. The health department said it has distributed medical supplies and anti-viral medications to every county in the state.

On Thursday, Mary Jo Everhart, director of the Platte County Health Department, said officials had notified 40 to 50 people who had been in contact with the Platte County woman.

Symptoms of the illness include a fever of more than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.